1. Field of the Invention
Aspects of the present invention relate to products made or derived from tobacco, or that otherwise incorporate tobacco, and are intended for human consumption, and, more particularly, to a feeder system for rod-like components of such tobacco products, and associated method.
2. Description of Related Art
Popular smoking articles or tobacco products, such as cigarettes, have a substantially cylindrical rod-shaped structure and include a charge, roll or column of smokable material such as shredded tobacco (e.g., in cut filler form) surrounded by a paper wrapper thereby forming a so-called “tobacco rod.” Normally, a cigarette has a cylindrical filter element aligned in an end-to-end relationship with the tobacco rod. Typically, a filter element comprises plasticized cellulose acetate tow circumscribed by a paper material known as “plug wrap.” Certain cigarettes incorporate a filter element having multiple segments, and one of those segments can comprise activated charcoal particles. Typically, the filter element is attached to one end of the tobacco rod using a circumscribing wrapping material known as “tipping paper.” It also has become desirable to perforate the tipping material and plug wrap, in order to provide dilution of drawn mainstream smoke with ambient air. A cigarette is employed by a smoker by lighting one end thereof and burning the tobacco rod. The smoker then receives mainstream smoke into his/her mouth by drawing on the opposite end (e.g., the filter end) of the cigarette.
The tobacco used for cigarette manufacture is typically used in blended form. For example, certain popular tobacco blends, commonly referred to as “American blends,” comprise mixtures of flue-cured tobacco, burley tobacco and Oriental tobacco, and in many cases, certain processed tobaccos, such as reconstituted tobacco and processed tobacco stems. The precise amount of each type of tobacco within a tobacco blend used for the manufacture of a particular cigarette brand varies from brand to brand. However, for many tobacco blends, flue-cured tobacco makes up a relatively large proportion of the blend, while Oriental tobacco makes up a relatively small proportion of the blend. See, for example, Tobacco Encyclopedia, Voges (Ed.) p. 44-45 (1984), Browne, The Design of Cigarettes, 3rd Ed., p. 43 (1990) and Tobacco Production, Chemistry and Technology, Davis et al. (Eds.) p. 346 (1999).
Tobacco also may be enjoyed in a so-called “smokeless” form. Particularly popular smokeless tobacco products are employed by inserting some form of processed tobacco or tobacco-containing formulation into the mouth of the user. Various types of smokeless tobacco products are set forth in U.S. Pat. No. 1,376,586 to Schwartz; U.S. Pat. No. 3,696,917 to Levi; U.S. Pat. No. 4,513,756 to Pittman et al.; U.S. Pat. No. 4,528,993 to Sensabaugh, Jr. et al.; U.S. Pat. No. 4,624,269 to Story et al.; U.S. Pat. No. 4,987,907 to Townsend; U.S. Pat. No. 5,092,352 to Sprinkle, III et al.; and U.S. Pat. No. 5,387,416 to White et al.; U.S. Pat. App. Pub. No. 2005/0244521 to Strickland et al.; PCT WO 04/095959 to Arnarp et al.; PCT WO 05/063060 to Atchley et al.; PCT WO 05/004480 to Engstrom; PCT WO 05/016036 to Bjorkholm; and PCT WO 05/041699 to Quinter et al., each of which is incorporated herein by reference. See also, the types of smokeless tobacco formulations, ingredients, and processing methodologies set forth in U.S. Pat. No. 6,953,040 to Atchley et al. and U.S. Pat. No. 7,032,601 to Atchley et al.; US Pat. Appl. Pub. Nos. 2002/0162562 to Williams; 2002/0162563 to Williams; 2003/0070687 to Atchley et al.; 2004/0020503 to Williams, 2005/0178398 to Breslin et al.; 2006/0191548 to Strickland et al.; 2007/0062549 to Holton, Jr. et al.; 2007/0186941 to Holton, Jr. et al.; 2007/0186942 to Strickland et al.; 2008/0029110 to Dube et al.; 2008/0029116 to Robinson et al.; 2008/0029117 to Mua et al.; 2008/0173317 to Robinson et al.; and 2008/0209586 to Neilsen et al., each of which is incorporated herein by reference. Smokeless tobacco products may, in some instances, also be provided in the form of a “stick product,” such as a substantially cylindrical rod-shaped structure.
In any instance, effective packaging of such tobacco products or “stick products,” whether a conventional rod-shaped smoking article, a “smokeless” rod of a tobacco product, or other tobacco product in elongate form, may be a particular concern, particularly in instances where the tobacco products are mass-produced and must be packaged individually or in small quantities. As such, there exists a need for a feeder system and associated method for rod-like components of tobacco products, capable of receiving mass-produced quantities of such tobacco products and appropriately meting the tobacco products to a package, packaging machine, or subsequent process, as necessary or desired.